Victoria records 1838 new COVID cases, Australia’s highest daily tally since start of the pandemic

Victoria has beaten its own daily COVID-19 case record, with numbers surging past 1800.

On Friday, the health department confirmed there had been 1838 cases in the 24 hours until midnight.

There were also five COVID-related deaths.

There were 36,600 doses of the vaccine administered on Thursday and Victoria now has 16,823 active cases of the virus.

On Thursday there were 1638 cases of the virus recorded, Wednesday had 1420, Tuesday was the previous record at 1763 and 1377 were recorded on Monday.

‘Higher than we’d like’
On Thursday, Premier Daniel Andrews said daily cases were “higher than we’d like them to be” and urged Melburnians and regional residents in lockdown to follow the rules for a couple more weeks.

Once 70 per cent of the state’s population above 16 is fully vaccinated, expected around October 26, Melbourne’s curfew will ease, the travel limit will be expanded and venues can open outdoors to the fully vaccinated.

But Victorians will have to wait until the 80 per cent double-dose target for significant changes, forecast for November 5, including Melbourne hospitality reopening for seated service and visitors to be allowed in homes.

Conversely, fully vaccinated adults in NSW will receive a swathe of new freedoms from Monday, with up to 10 adults allowed to visit homes, and people allowed to eat at restaurants and go to the gym.

Andrews said he had no plans to alter Victoria’s roadmap out of lockdown, but the state opposition said the premier’s plan “doesn’t cut it”.

The opposition is calling for a return of customer density limits at the 70 per cent target, paving the way for hospitality venues to open indoors.

Meanwhile, a Victoria Police officer has been admitted to hospital with COVID-19 after working at recent anti-vaccine protests in Melbourne CBD.

At least two officers from an inner-city police station are infected with the virus, while 25 police have been stood down due to potential exposure, the police union said.

Source: 7news.com.au